"Buzzoff" Shirts? Dealing with bugs.

[dep]

Has anyone had any experience with these "Buzzoff" shirts on the trail? I'm wondering if they're going to be too hot during the summer months or might be worth packing for evenings at camp? Or is it better to go for Deet or some other chemical?

I am doing a 300 mile section in a week and am wondering if i have adequate insect repellent. I hear you can really get eaten alive this time of the year on the trail..

any advice?

[stupe]

Get Deet. I think it's the best and most packable.

[DLFrost]

Has anyone had any experience with these "Buzzoff" shirts on the trail? I'm wondering if they're going to be too hot during the summer months or might be worth packing for evenings at camp? Or is it better to go for Deet or some other chemical?

I am doing a 300 mile section in a week and am wondering if i have adequate insect repellent. I hear you can really get eaten alive this time of the year on the trail..

any advice?

Do some searching in the forums here... Some people swear by Permethrin against ticks and chiggers (safe for clothes treatment only). I'm currently trying the new Cutter Advanced with the new Picaridan repellent for general bug protection--no conclusions yet. Another thing you see in the backpacking stores now is lemon eucalyptus lotion. I avoid DEET because it damages nylon. The others don't.

Doug Frost

[jackiebolen]

I used large amounts of Ben's 100 % Deet and it didn't really work that well. I got a lot of bites. I think it was probably because of the humidity in NY/NJ/CT and how much I sweated, the Deet just didn't stay on.

So I'd say to try some other alternatives. Have you thought of going for a little overnight practise hike and trying some of this stuff out? It's probably the best way for you to figure things out.

I'm just waiting for the day until the US military invents something better than Deet and makes it commercially available....gooooooo military!

[Youngblood]

I used large amounts of Ben's 100 % Deet and it didn't really work that well. I got a lot of bites. I think it was probably because of the humidity in NY/NJ/CT and how much I sweated, the Deet just didn't stay on.

So I'd say to try some other alternatives. Have you thought of going for a little overnight practise hike and trying some of this stuff out? It's probably the best way for you to figure things out.

I'm just waiting for the day until the US military invents something better than Deet and makes it commercially available....gooooooo military!

They have a controlled release DEET that is suppose to take care of some of those problems ( http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...m_cat=datafeed ), fortunately I haven't been in an area since I've had some to try out.

DEET and permethrin work in two distinctive ways and can be used together. Permethrin is applied to clothing and is a contact insecticide that will keep insects off of treated clothing for the most part and hopefully kill the ones that get on the clothing quickly... and it does this when used in the recommended concentrations without harming you, supposedly. DEET is applied to your exposed skin to keep most insects off of you... high concentrations leave a smell that some people have a problem with but the controlled release stuff gets by with a smaller concentration that is not as objectionable while still being as effective, effective for longer and staying applied under more conditions, or so they claim. Of course the most effective way is to use both permethrin and DEET.

Youngblood

[Bolo]

Dep,

Think I read on an old thread where Kerosene was wearing the Buzzoff shirts. Kerosene's posted on WB recently, or you could IM him and ask.
I stopped using Deet when I sprayed it once in my car before getting out and it literally ate up the dashboard.
-Bolo

[Kerosene]

Dep,

Think I read on an old thread where Kerosene was wearing the Buzzoff shirts. Kerosene's posted on WB recently, or you could IM him and ask.
I stopped using Deet when I sprayed it once in my car before getting out and it literally ate up the dashboard.
-Bolo

Nope, it wasn't me. I haven't had to depend on insect repellent very much since I don't tend to hike much in the summer. When I do use repellent, I go with the 100% stuff and try to keep it out of my eyes and away from my equipment.

[attroll]

Dep,

Think I read on an old thread where Kerosene was wearing the Buzzoff shirts. Kerosene's posted on WB recently, or you could IM him and ask.
I stopped using Deet when I sprayed it once in my car before getting out and it literally ate up the dashboard.
-Bolo

Your right you have to be careful with deet around plastic products. It melts the plastic.

[pixpusher]

I used large amounts of Ben's 100 % Deet and it didn't really work that well. I got a lot of bites. I think it was probably because of the humidity in NY/NJ/CT and how much I sweated, the Deet just didn't stay on.

So I'd say to try some other alternatives. Have you thought of going for a little overnight practise hike and trying some of this stuff out? It's probably the best way for you to figure things out.

I'm just waiting for the day until the US military invents something better than Deet and makes it commercially available....gooooooo military!

Not sure if someone has already mentioned this elsewhere, but thought you might want to check these out:

Bug Bands - Available at U.S. Calvary

I personally haven't tried them, but you mentioned the military, and apparently the armed forces are issuing these to troops.

They had been sold-out for the longest time, now it looks like they're available for purchase @ USC.

They use something called "Gerinol"? No personal experience with these, but hey, if the military is using 'em, they gotta be good right?

Hope the info helps.

[dje97001]

We used Ben's 100% deet and well... accidentally got some on our lips. They (our lips) got all tingley and went numb for a good 5 minutes. Does make you wonder...

[sliderule]

No personal experience with these, but hey, if the military is using 'em, they gotta be good right?

Don't bet on it.

[Rocks 'n Roots]

I always thought a suit made of no-seeum netting would be handy in bug areas. The mesh could be raised away from the body by lighweight spacers. Just wear shorts underneath to keep from being stuffy...

[Sly]

it doesn't loook like the Buzz Off Bug jacket in the link is the same as the Buzz Off clothing. The link is just netting, the clothing is treated to repel not only ticks but mosquitoes and such. The company claim is for 25 washings and you can usually find them on sale at the exofficio.com website. In serious mosquitoes country unless you had a net, you'd still want to use Deet on exposed skin. They say, 20-25% Deet, works better than 100%.

In bug season, I carry a spray can of Deep Woods Off, but the 3M Ultra Thon may work better.

[Turtle2]

My job is actually walking in the woods. After using Deep Woods Off! (25% deet) twice in one day, I still picked off over 3 dozen ticks. Using Repel 40% has knocked that down to one or two a day. Permethrin is great for the trail but too expensive to use each day in my work.

[Bolo]

I tried on a pair of Buzzoff shorts this weekend at an upstate outfitter...$70, if I remember, is a bit steep for shorts! And, if they lose their effectiveness after 25 washings, not worth the price IMO. Also, they were quite heavy...almost felt like cotton. I'll stick with the Deet and like the idea of putting it on a piece of gauze in a ziplock...not so messy and eliminates the possibility of destroying your plastic. Bug bands are good too; my kids use them.

Bolo

[icemanat95]

I've been using the Cutter Advanced stuff all Summer and it works pretty well against mosquitos and black flies and the like. I haven't gotten any ticks, but I haven't ever gotten all that many ticks over the years either.

I spray my work jeans, shirt and hat with Repel Permethrin and that seems to work pretty well also.

This hunting season I'll be trying the Permethrin, Cutter Advanced combination on my clothing and boots.

[DLFrost]

I've been using the Cutter Advanced stuff all Summer and it works pretty well against mosquitos and black flies and the like. I haven't gotten any ticks, but I haven't ever gotten all that many ticks over the years either.

I've had so-so results. Went for an gear-testing overnighter and the darned stuff sorta worked. Watched a mosquito just land on my arm and start drilling. Then I put it on today for some back yard hammock lounging and it worked great--I could actually watch the skeeters wander around but not land. I suspect dampness has something to do with it. The camp was very high humidity, the backyard was the usual sunny day muggyness. Will keep testing...

Doug Frost

[Youngblood]

I've had so-so results. Went for an gear-testing overnighter and the darned stuff sorta worked. Watched a mosquito just land on my arm and start drilling. Then I put it on today for some back yard hammock lounging and it worked great--I could actually watch the skeeters wander around but not land. I suspect dampness has something to do with it. The camp was very high humidity, the backyard was the usual sunny day muggyness. Will keep testing...

Doug Frost

I found some of it today at my local Krogers. I tried it out for a while in my backyard and for the most part it kept them away for 2 or 3 hours... but I did notice a couple early on that landed on me and started drilling. Do you think the word hasn't gotten out and all the mosquittos don't know they are suppose to stay away from the new stuff?

Youngblood